Guide · Your home
Do I need planning permission for solar panels?
Checked by our MCS-certified installers · Rules from 27 August 2026
Short answer
Usually no. Most houses in England can have solar panels without planning permission, as long as they stay within a few size limits.
Conservation areas and listed buildings are different — ask first. We check your address for you before anything is fitted.
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MCS-certified installer · Cert. no. NAP/79987/26/1
No permission needed when…
| Sloping roof | Panels sit close to the roof | up to 20 cm |
| Flat roof | Height above the roof | up to 0.6 m |
| In the garden | Area of panels | up to 9 m² |
Ask first if…
- You're in a conservation area — panels on a roof or wall facing the road aren't covered, and panels in the garden may now need a short approval step with the council first.
- Your home is listed — you'll need consent.
- You live in a flat — different rules apply.
These rules apply in England. Source: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2026, legislation.gov.uk. What else moved on 27 August 2026 — walls, garden heights, flats — is in our update on the change. Got a flat roof? Solar on a flat roof.
Get started
Want us to check your address?
We check the planning rules for your home before anything is fitted — with your free roof design and fixed price.
0% VAT on solar & battery until March 2027